This invention generally relates to hand gloves, and more particularly to hand gloves that cushion or absorb the impact or vibrations of hand held vibrating machinery such as rivet guns and jack hammers.
Extensive use of hand held vibrating or impact machinery and/or tools such as rivet guns, bucking bars, jack hammers or paint spray guns over a long period of time may damage the carpal nerve. This nerve extends from an area in the palm of the hand between the thumb and the fourth finger, into the wrist. Prior art gloves or wrist protectors have not been able to completely protect an individual, who often uses heavy, hand held vibrating equipment over a long time, from damage to the carpal nerve while, at the same time, permitting the type of flexing movement of the wrist, thumb and fingers necessary to operate and control the equipment.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,098, 4,138,108, 3,871,029, and 3,123,832 disclose gloves that are designed to help bowlers hold the wrist and hand straight while rolling a bowling ball. These gloves do not allow the type of hand and wrist movement needed to effectively and properly operate hand held equipment such as jackhammers and paint spray guns. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,606,614 and 3,581,312 illustrate sport training gloves having protuberances adapted to extend outward from the palm to teach a person to control an object such as a basketball by the fingertips. These gloves discourage a person from grabbing and holding an object in the way necessary to manipulate and control heavy hand held and operated machinery. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,369,258 and 3,146,463 show hand protectors that protect the palm either from blisters or the like, or from the type of occasional shock that might occur when a person hits a ball with a bat. These protectors are not intended to cushion the wrist and the areas immediately adjacent thereto from the constant shocks that occur when heavy vibrating equipment is held for a long period of time.